OFFICIAL NAME
Union Internationale des Guides et Scouts d’Europe - Fédération du Scoutisme Européen
ACRONYM
UIGSE-FSE or UIGSE
ALSO KNOWN AS
International Union of Guides and Scouts of Europe
ACRONYM
UIGSE-FSE or UIGSE
ESTABLISHED
1956
HISTORY
In 1956, Cologne is a town rebuilding totally. In response to the huge damage caused by wars and ideologies, how can one restore young people’s trust in the future?
Concerned about this issue, about thirty young people gathered in Cologne. Among them, Catholics, Protestants and one Orthodox. To them, it was urgent to place God back in the centre of a European project. Therefore, they founded the Federation of European Scouting (FSE), an international brotherhood the primary purpose of which is to educate youth by practising scouting, as designed by Baden-Powell, on Christian bases within a European framework.
Over the following decades, European Scouting developed first of all in West European countries and then set foot in Eastern Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
UIGSE had its first recognition by the Holy See in 1962. On 26 August 2003 the Pontifical Council for the Laity granted recognition of the Union Internationale des Guides et Scouts d’Europe - Fédération du Scoutisme Européen as an international association of the faithful.
UIGSE-FSE has participatory status with the Council of Europe and engages there for the family and the dignity of the human person.
At the beginning of the 21st century, a sister union was created on the North American continent under the name of Federation of North American Explorers (FNE).
IDENTITY
UIGSE-FSE gathers the Guides and Scouts of Europe’s national associations of European and North American countries in a brotherhood of scouts beyond national borders, a true international community of faith, prayer and action. It is actively involved in the civil life of these countries and continent.
This educational movement complementary to the family enhances an approach to educate the whole person, including all the dimensions of the human being and pointing a way to youth to enjoy true personal freedom, the ability to commit for their convictions in their life and to serve their neighbours. UIGSE views Scouting as a means of performing the apostolate in the Church, and therefore as a tool for providing Christian instruction for men and women practising the Gospel values in their service to the world. It draws its source from Christian anthropology, the Social Teaching of the Church and Lord Baden-Powell's Scouting method.
All the associations coordinated by UIGSE-FSE practise traditional scouting, on the educational bases set by Robert Baden Powell. They have also preserved the heritage from the founders of Catholic scouting, i.e. Father Jacques Sevin (France), Professor Jean Corbisier (Belgium), and Earl Mario di Carpegna (Italy). The contents of the Law and the Promise, as well as of the Ceremonial, common to all UIGSE-FSE associations, belong to this heritage.
ORGANISATION
UIGSE-FSE is managed by a Federal Council, a Federal Bureau and a Federal Commissioner. The Federal Council is the organisation’s General Assembly. The Federal Bureau deals with the day-to-day management of the Federation and comprises the Federal Commissioner, the President, the Vice President, and the Secretary of the Federal Council. The Spiritual Advisor (Ecclesiastical Assistant) and the Federal Commissioner’s co-workers attend the meetings of the Bureau with a consultative vote. Consistent with the principles of the Catholic Church on ecumenism, UIGSE-FSE accepts associations belonging to other churches and ecclesial communities as associate members.
WORKS
European scouting focuses on differentiated education for boys and girls, meeting their specific needs. Its aim is to make children and teenagers grow through play, adventure in nature and taking responsibility within the group. Scouting is lived within small teams, according to age. The organised activities are designed to help youth flourish in five areas traditionally called “the five aims of scouting” (health, character training, practical sense, service to others, the sense of God).
PUBLICATIONS
CONTACT, a quarterly newsletter. The member associations also have their own national publications.
WEB SITE
HEADQUARTERS
Union Internationale des Guides et Scouts d’Europe - Fédération du Scoutisme Européen
Route de Montargis CS 80594
77570 Château-Landon
France
Tel. +33 6 51 94 85 70
E-mail: info@uigse-fse.org
